Call to Arms Pt 1
by Garion Faldor
Summary: A New York detective begins having strange dreams, awakening a past long forgotten and a future he could not begin to imagine...


A young man begins having dreams and discovers who he is...and who he used to be. Sequel to Hostile Takeover.

Disclaimer: Gargoyles are the property of Disney. The Logrus, the Pattern, Amber, and all other affiliations are the property of Roger Zelazney. Corey Brockyn and Veronica are mine. If you want to use them...ask.

Timeline: 2 years after "Hostile Takeover" (relatively)

Place: Alternate Earth.

Call to Arms pt.1

He was running. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to. He looked behind him as he ran. Two hellish red eyes stared at him from the darkness behind him. He increased his efforts but still the eyes stayed with him, though he went through so many alleyways and turns as to confuse even him. As he rounded another such corner he skidded to a stop, his hair whipping around his face. The being floated in front of him, its eyes glowing malevolently. The thing grinned, showing a maw of razor-like teeth. As the thing reached for him, blinding light engulfed the two of them….

He woke in a sweat, breathing heavily, the dream still half-real in his waking state. As he realized his surroundings he lay back on the pillow, trying to get his breathing under control.

(It happened again!)

This had not been the only night he had awoken from such a dream. How many times had it been? Was this the sixth time? Seventh? He couldn't remember. He staggered out of bed and walked into the bathroom. He turned on the light, squeezing his eyes shut at the sudden blindness. As he cracked his eyes to look at his reflection in the mirror, he

shook aside those stray thoughts and doused his lean face thoroughly in cold water. He gazed at his reflection and his serious hazel eyes stared back at him. His gaze traveled lower to encompass the rest of his well-muscled body. He was in good form overall and he knew it. He had always been stronger then others and faster too, he remembered. In school he had always been an excellent athlete. Fighting skills came almost naturally to him. He had been so adaptive in this way that it was almost a given that he had joined the police force.

(Speaking of which…)

He stopped his reminisce and stepped through the doorway, looking at the electronic clock next to his bed. 5:45. His alarm wasn't set to go off for another 15 minutes. Still, being at his shift a few minutes early never hurt anything. Corey Brockyn shrugged and stepped out of his pajamas, dressing himself…

Ocean City Police Dept. Headquarters

9:00 AM

Corey sat as his desk, filling out reports left on his desk from the previous day. Finishing one, he placed it in the "Out" box and had started on another when his phone rang. He picked up the receiver.

"Detective Brockyn. Uh-huh. Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes, just stay calm ma'am."

Corey hung up the phone with a sigh and started walking towards the door. One of the other officers looked up at him.

"Trouble?"

Corey grimaced. "Some old lady has a cat up a tree. You'd think she was dying the way she was carrying on."

The other officer laughed. "Have fun."

Corey glared at him as he walked out the front door to his car. "Yeah, loads," he muttered.

The officer walked out to his car, a black Thunderbird, and got in. As the engine revved to life he pulled out into traffic and began to wend his way towards the caller's address. As he weaved in and out of traffic he grumbled about going out on such a simple call. Why hadn't he simply assigned one of the rookies to do the job? After all, it's not like the lady would care who did the job as long as it got done?

(Simple), he thought. (It's the same reason I joined the force in the first place.)

Soon he found the lush street on which the caller lived and a few moments later, pulled into the drive. As he got out of his car, an elderly woman emerged from the house. As she tottered down the walkway from her step to the drive, she looked at him suspiciously.

"What do you want?"

Corey walked around to the other side of his car. "You called about a stuck cat?"

The woman's face relaxed in relief. "Oh, yes! He's in one of the trees in back. This way!"

Corey followed the woman around the side of the house to the spacious back yard. She walked up to one of the trees and pointed to one of the lower branches.

"He's up there! Been there all morning. And I can't get him to come down!"

Corey smiled to the old lady comfortingly. "Cats can be that way, ma'am. Sometimes there's no reasoning with them."

The woman smiled at him as he began to climb the tree. Quickly finding natural finger- and toeholds, he quickly climbed the large oak and arrived at the branch where the gray cat was situated, lounging on the branch. Corey smiled at the cat and gestured to it.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Come on, now," Corey implored softly. "Your old lady's worried sick about you. Come on over here."

The cat simply looked at him, a bored expression on its face.

Corey sighed. (Why me?)

Suddenly the cat leapt onto Corey's head and then down to the ground, landing nimbly on its paws as if to prove the long standing myth. The cat's impact forced Corey's grip on the tree to loosen as he fell. As the ground rushed towards him, the officer reflexively twisted in the air, righting himself and landed on the balls of his feet, the impact forcing him into a crouched position for a moment. As he straightened up, the woman rushed over to him.

"Are you alright, young man?"

Corey quickly caught his breath and smiled at her quietly. "I'm alright, thanks."

She smiled gratefully. "That was amazing how you did that flip in the air!"

Corey chuckled softly. "I'm…something of a gymnast," he replied quickly.

The woman smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're alright. And thank you for rescuing my Precious. Would you like to come in and have some refreshment?"

Corey smiled mentally to himself. (The old ones always seem to have tea and cookies laid out. Must come with the retirement.)

"I'm sorry, but I have to get back to the station."

She smiled. "Oh. Okay, then. Maybe another time."

Corey nodded. "Maybe."

As he walked back to his car and started the engine he reflected on the wistful look in the old woman's eyes.

(Probably lonely), he thought. (The cat must not make for good conversation.) He chuckled at the thought as he got back onto the main street.

The rest of the morning continued without any major incidents except for one suspect. He had been brought in for questioning and had become violent during the middle and had to be restrained. His attorney pleaded, literally pleaded, insanity and nobody in the situation room seemed to want to disagree.

As Corey sat at his desk, filling out the last of the reports, his mind wandered back to the incident that morning with the fall from the tree. He had told the woman he was a gymnast in order to cover for the fact that he had no idea of why he had reacted the way he did. Certainly, he felt, trained cop reflexes played a part, but he doubted even that would have been sufficient for him to make that maneuver in midair. Brushing the stray thoughts aside, he returned to his work, not giving them another moment's thought.

Around 3:00 Corey's shift came to an end. He walked out to his car and, starting it up, steered towards his apartment. About 20 minutes later he closed the door to his rooms behind him and began to unlace his shoes, sitting down in a convenient chair. Suddenly, in his mind's eye, there appeared a picture. It seemed to be a complex, convoluted maze, which seemed to constantly shift in small ways. The maze glowed a violent red for a few seconds before vanishing abruptly as it had appeared. Corey stared into space for a moment, attempting to recall the vision, but it was gone. He had never been prone to hallucinations before. Not to mention the fact that he had never seen or heard of the thing that had appeared before him. As he removed his socks, he tried to put the incident out of his mind.

He eventually succeeded.

An hour or so later he walked out of his apartment, dressed in a short sleeved shirt and faded jeans. As he walked down the sidewalk he took in the sights and sounds of the city around him. It was a lovely afternoon, with the sun shining and the clouds off visiting other locales. He spent the remainder of the day wandering around the city near his apartment, browsing in stores and munching at various restaurants in the area. Later that evening, he found himself back in his apartment, lounging around and watching television. Finally, having exhausted various forms of entertainment, he decided to catch up on his 'z' production. A few moments later, and he was asleep.

He dreamed.

But this dream was different from the others. He stood in a stone chamber with a domed ceiling. Before him, inscribed into the floor, was a blazing, electric blue maze. But it was not the same one he had seen in his vision earlier in the day. Suddenly, as if responding to his thoughts, the red, shifting maze from his vision appeared on the wall of the chamber in front of him.

The Logrus!

Where that name had come from he had no knowledge. Yet it was there and he knew that the glowing red maze before him was known as the Logrus, though he didn't know what it meant.

Suddenly, the blue maze flared and a voice seemed to speak to him inside his mind.

(Come to me…)

The Logrus flared in response.

(He is of the blood of Chaos! The demon-child is mine!)

(We shall see where his allegiance lies!)

What the hell is going on here, Corey wondered? He lifted his head to address the Logrus.

"I don't know what's going on here, but I'm no demon!"

A chuckle entered his mind.

(You have forgotten who you truly are, as I dictated all those centuries ago. But the time of remembrance has come. I have need of you and your kin once more. Return to me and serve me as you and your kindred were meant to.)

"What the hell are you talking about!" Corey shouted. "What kindred?"

The voice chuckled again.

(Behold.)

Suddenly, scenes flashed through his mind, so quickly that he had only a second to assimilate them.

Other demonic forms flew in formation above a city…A purple giant with a stern face placed a hand on his shoulder, naming him second in command…an azure she-demon fired a laser rifle at him, catching him in the shoulder, a vial of purple liquid sitting on a stone tablet, which in turn sat upon an altar…his hand ripped into the purple giant's chest and tore out its still beating heart as others looked on in horror…hideous laughter filled his ears and he knew it was his own…the dark shadow from his dreams laughed at him as a tremendous explosion of light and power lanced through his body…(The light! It's beautiful!….)…

The next day found Corey in a haze. The dream had refused to go away, itching in the back of his mind.

(I've never been to New York! Why in the hell would I think of it now?)

The purple giant's face appeared in his mind, twisted with rage.

(Betrayer!)

(No!)

(Destroyer!)

(NO!)

The blue demoness with red hair replaced the purple one. (You killed us all! You killed us...!)

"NO!"

The other officers in the situation room looked up in alarm as Corey shot to his feet, holding his head in his hands, his face twisted in anguish. One of the other officers rushed over to help him.

"Corey! You alright?"

He opened his eyes an inch and saw Veronica looking at him worriedly. Veronica had been his friend for several years. She had helped him through his time as a rookie and the two had formed a close friendship. The red-headed woman stared at him, her brown eyes concerned.

Corey massaged his temples for a moment and the voice within his head quieted. He raised his head and regarded her for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied. "I just…didn't get much sleep last night. Bad dreams."

He knew she didn't entirely believe him, but it didn't matter. He didn't want to deal with her at that moment. Sensing this, Veronica nodded.

"If you need anything, let me know," she said, quietly.

Corey nodded and managed a quiet smile.

Veronica walked back to her desk and Corey resumed his seat, trying to continue with his work. Glancing at his watch, he noticed that he was due to patrol the dock area of the city. Walking out to his car, he radioed the dispatcher to tell him that he was heading towards the docks and pulled out into traffic. As he weaved his way through downtown traffic, he reflected on the maze-like shapes in his dream. He knew that the red, shifting figure had be called the Logrus. The Logrus had addressed the other, blue construct as the Pattern, and it apparently represented cosmic Order. He concluded, then, that the Logrus represented Chaos, or some similar concept.

He stared out the windshield as he drove. (Could I truly belong to Chaos? Am I really a demon inside?)

He shook his head.

"Nonsense," he muttered. "I'm a good Catholic. I go to confession when I need to. I'm no demon."

About fifteen minutes later he reached the area of his patrol and began cruising around the various streets and alleyways. As he looked around, he idly brought up the Logrus into his mind's eye as he attempted to study it.

The Logrus suddenly appeared before his eyes as though his dream had manifested itself in the waking world. Corey hit the brakes in surprise, bringing the car to a halt. He stared at the image before him. The smaller, more compact version of the Logrus slowly pulsed with red light as it hovered in front of him. As he looked around, he noticed a few of what looked like multi-colored cables flowing through the air at various places and altitudes. Corey got out of his car and looked at one of the cables nearby which seemed to run at about waist height. He looked up and down the cable but could see no beginning or end and in some areas the cable seemed to pass through the middle of buildings without any sort of electrical connection. Corey walked over to the cable and moved his hand to touch it. As he did so, his hand passed through the length as if it were an illusion. Puzzled, he stared at the line for a few moments before realizing the symbol of Chaos still floated in his vision. Frowning, he willed it to vanish. The sign obeyed him. The moment he looked back, his eyebrows shot up; the cable had vanished without a trace.

(Hmm…I didn't see that cable until I thought of the Logrus. Therefore…)

Almost without effort, he summoned the Logrus before him again and immediately the cable returned.

Corey smiled. (This is…interesting. Weird as all hell but interesting.)

He passed his hand through the insubstantial cable a few more times with no effect.

(Somehow I don't think these are here just to look pretty…)

He shrugged and turned off what he now dramatically called his Logrus Sight and headed back to his car.

As he sat down in the seat, he chuckled to himself. (I must have looked a fool standing in the street waving my hand at nothing. Good thing no one was around.)

He continued down his route, checking the various areas for suspicious activity. As he looked down an alley, he spotted a group of young men shoving another person against the wall.

Corey sighed. (Can we say assault?)

Turning his car towards the entranceway to the alley, he got out of the car and walked in front of it.

"You guys mind telling me what in the hell is going on here?"

One of the men, dressed in a leather jacket and slicked back black hair sneered at Corey.

"This ain't none o' your business man! Get lost!"

Corey glared. "Yeah? Well as of right now I'm making it my business." He flashed his police badge for effect.

The sight of Corey's police badge had no effect on the men whatsoever. Instead they pushed the person, Corey could now see it was a young woman, out of the way and began advancing towards him. Corey stood there, more annoyed then anything else. He knew he could take them. His strength alone would be enough for him to knock them down like bowling pins.

But they didn't know that.

The one in the black leather jacket and black hair rushed forward, hands outstretched. Corey jumped aside at the last minute and the thug ended up connecting with the hood of his car. Corey snapped the edge of his hand against the man's neck, taking him out. As the hood slumped against the car, unconscious, the others leapt towards him. One swung at Corey in a right hook. The officer blocked the shot with his forearm and grabbed the man's wrist. Jerking the hood's arm forward, he snapped his knee up, forcing it into his opponent's stomach, doubling him over. As the man attempted to regain his breath, Corey shoved him into the path of his accomplice, knocking them head over heels.

Corey smirked at whom he assumed to be the leader as he had hung back from the fighting. "Come on. Surprise me."

The man smirked back at him. "I plan to."

Suddenly, he thrust his hands forward and twin bolts of energy shot from his hands, catching Corey full in the chest. The attack blew him back over the hood over his car and into the street. As he lay in the street, he shook his head in shock and, for the first time, fear as he rubbed his chest. The leader had jumped onto the hood of his car as energy began swirling around his hands.

Corey stared at the man.

(How in the hell can I stop something like that?! Where's he getting this stuff from?!) His mind began to race frantically for options as the man raised his fists towards Corey.

The Logrus suddenly appeared before him. Through his Logrus Sight, Corey discovered that the man had tapped into one of the cables he had observed earlier. Corey scrambled to his feet as the leader fired another twin blast of energy towards him. Corey leaped to the side, barely avoiding the bolts.

"Not so cocky now, are ya!" The man laughed arrogantly.

"If I could do something about that damn light show you wouldn't be laughin'," Corey growled to himself as he dodged another bolt.

Corey clenched his hands as he prepared to rush the man, hoping to catch him off guard. As he did, he felt a rush of power enter his body and collect around his fists. Looking down, through his Sight, he saw his hands bristling with the red energy of the Logrus.

Corey grinned wickedly. (Alright! Logrus, you the man!)

Corey thrust his hands forward towards the man, forcing the power out of his hands through his will.

The man stared in shock as bolts of red power flew from Corey's hands, catching him in the stomach and knocking him off Corey's car.

Corey grinned. (Damn! I could get used to this!)

Corey leapt on top of his car and fired another round as the man staggered to his feet. The next blast knocked him back several feet, into the side of one of the brick buildings.

As Corey shot his fist forward to fire, he pictured in his mind his fist slamming into the man's stomach. As if acting on his thoughts, the blast Corey released formed into the shape of a red, crackling human fist. The blow from the energy fist doubled the man over as Corey grinned.

(Yes! This just keeps gettin' better and better! Let's see what else we can come up with!)

The thug glared up at Corey and fired miniature bolts of energy from his fingers towards Corey's face. Instinctively, Corey placed the image of the Logrus between him and the incoming bolts, attempting to shield his face. The power responded by creating an energy screen in the shape of the Logrus, which blocked the bolts. Corey reached out with his hands, forming a command in his mind. Immediately two large, glowing energy hands appeared. Before the other man could react, the hands shot forward and grabbed him, pinning his arms to his sides and holding him in place. Corey walked up to the man as he struggled in the grip of the energy hands.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" he asked, getting up into the man's face.

The thug sneered. "Screw off!"

Corey smirked. "Maybe later. But you didn't answer my question." At his mental command, the hands began to squeeze.

The man's face grimaced in pain, but he held his tongue.

As the hands continued to squeeze harder, the man's face clenched in pain, his eyes squeezed shut.

Tighter…

"Okay! Okay! Just lemme go!"

Corey smiled and the hands relaxed, still holding the man. "I knew you'd see it my way. Now, you gonna tell me how you learned to do that little light show of yours?"

The man looked at him, puzzled. "You are an initiate of the Logrus and you do not understand the basics of Power?"

Corey took a step back. "What are you talking about?"

The man's puzzlement turned to laughter.

"What the hell are you laughing about?! I asked you a question!"

The man smirked. "You remember nothing. Though the blast would have been sufficient to warrant that, I suppose."

Corey glared at his captive. "Who the hell are you?"

The man just smiled. "I come from Chaos, as do you, demon-kin. Though you have forgotten."

Suddenly the man's body flared and became enveloped in blinding white light. When the light vanished, so had the man.

Corey stared at the space between the energy hands where the man had been a moment earlier. Then, with a snarl, he banished the hands as well as his Sight. As he stalked back to his car, he mulled over what the man had said. He was sure he was no demon, but this had not been the first time he had been called that.

The rest of his patrol continued uneventfully. As he returned to the police station he wondered how he was going to write what had happened in the police report. Eventually he chose the route that so many had taken when faced with odd or unexplainable situations: Screw it.

As far as the rest of the world was concerned, nothing of importance had happened.

Corey finished his shift and returned to his apartment. As he lounged in a chair, he idly brought forth the Logrus, letting it enter his field of vision. For a time, he studied the lines which made up its form, musing.

(Initiate of the Logrus. What the hell does that mean? Some kind of organization? Cult?) He was more inclined to believe the latter.

As he lazily looked about the room, his eyes swept by a large full-sized standing mirror in the corner. He suddenly froze, staring at the reflective glass.

The figure reflected in the mirror was not Corey Brockyn.

In his place sat the demonic figure from his dream, complete with body armor.

He stood up and walked to the front of the mirror, gazing intensely at a reflection completely different from his own form.

A pair of identical hazel eyes stared back at him with the same shocked expression, but the similarity ended there. His skin was the color of brick and his hands had lost a finger each as had his feet lost a toe. His fingernails and toenails had sharpened to razor-sharp talons and his build was thin, but muscular. A pair of horns and a mane of silver hair adorned his head. His face had elongated into a beak and as he flexed his shoulder blade muscles he saw a pair of powerful wings move back and forth, though he could not feel the wings move nor their attachment to his back. As he looked at himself in the mirror, he noticed his attire. The figure wore a silver breastplate and silver metallic gloves, which left his fingers exposed. His lower body was dressed in a blue loincloth with a silver utility belt.

Corey ran a hand over his face, feeling the rough bristles of a day or two growth of beard. The figure in the mirror mimicked him exactly.

"So that's what they meant when they called me a demon." He muttered softly. "But how can I see…"

The man's voice echoed through his head as the statement floated into his consciousness.

("You are an initiate of the Logrus and you do not understand the basics of Power?")

"The Logrus! It allows me to see this," he muttered in amazement. "But is this who I am…?"

Corey shook his head. He needed more information. And he knew just where to find it.

Half an hour later he was sawing logs underneath his sheets.

Once more he stood in the cave, and once more the Pattern of Order and the Logrus of Chaos floated before him. He looked down at himself and saw that he had exchanged his human body for the demonic form in his mirror shown to him through his Logrus Sight.

Corey stared at the two constructs before him before addressing the Logrus.

"Who am I? What am I?"

The Logrus flared.

(You are Gebrodkin. Though the humans called you Brooklyn.)

Corey stared at the figure incredulously. "What?"

(You are Gebrodkin. A Lord of Chaos.")

Corey blinked.

"What do you mean Lord of Chaos?!"

The Logrus flared again as if sighing with impatience.

(You are a Lord of the Courts of Chaos, situated a the edge of the Multiverse, as opposed to Amber, the bastion of Order, which lies at the center of the Multiverse.)

Corey merely filed this information away for the time; he had no idea how long he might have in the dream realm.

"Why am I in this body?" he asked, looking down at himself.

(That is your true form. Your Chaos form. All other forms are merely for convenience.)

Corey puzzled over this for a moment, then looked down at his body.

"So, this is what I actually look like?"

The Logrus flared in agreement.

Corey suddenly felt himself becoming disoriented. He only had moments before he awoke.

"Tell me! My other dreams…!"

(Flashbacks of what has gone before…)

The scene faded and Corey opened his eyes to the ceiling.

Sighing, he got out of bed and began to dress. He had a lot to think on and his work wouldn't make it any easier.

The rest of the day seemed to pass in a haze for him, filling out various paper work by rote, the memory of what the Logrus had told him echoed through his mind.

(Lord of Chaos?)

(You are Gebrodkin….)

(All other forms are merely for convenience…)

(Does that mean I'm some kind of…shape-shifter?)

When the time came for his patrol he was halfway to the docks before he realized where he was. He shook his head forcefully to clear the cobwebs.

"Thing is, if that demon body is really me…how do I become him," he muttered as he scanned the various buildings and alleyways.

He brought the Logrus before his eyes and the cable-like ley lines of power appeared as they had before. He thought for a few moments before pulling into a nearby deserted alley. He got out of his car and walked a few feet away from it. He looked around to see if anyone was watching and saw no one.

He sighed quietly. "Well Logrus, you got me into this. Let's see if you can pull this one off."

He focused on the mental construct before him. "Alright buddy," he whispered, "Reveal my Chaos form."

A powerful wrenching shot through his body as the transformation began.

Gasping more from the shock then the discomfort, he watched as his body began to reshape itself. He watched as his little and ring fingers melded together as his skin darkened from pinkish-white to the color of brick. He felt his bones and muscles shift and twist within him, as some vanished while others formed where none had been before. His feet began to increase in size and after a moment, burst through his tennis shoes as his center of gravity shifted, forcing him to stand on his toes. He felt new growth at the base of his spine and realized he was growing a tail, which put in an appearance a moment later, ripping a hole in his jeans. As a pair of appendages began to grow from his back, he knew he was growing a pair of glider-shaped wings. Removing his jacket quickly, he flung it aside as his wings tore through his shirt, flaring. His face grew longer and a pair of sharp horns emerged from his head.

A moment later, the human known as Corey Brockyn was gone and Brooklyn, second in command of Clan Wyvern, stood in his place.

Corey took several deep breaths to calm himself, then looked at his new form. Clothing aside, he looked exactly as he had in his dream. He held his red, taloned hands before his face and studied them, turning them over and back again. His hands moved to his beaked face and began exploring his long snout. His fingers discovered a pair of pointed ears and swept back pointed horns emerging from behind his new eyebrow ridges. He ran his talons through his long, silvery hair. He swished his long, thick tail experimentally a few times and out of instinct, flexed his new wings before capping them around his shoulders.

Walking over to the side of the alleyway, he ran his talons down the side of the building. To his surprise, his claws left small scratches in the brick. With a smile, he raised his hand and tore a line of gashes into the side of the building with his claws. Rearing back, he smashed his fist into the brickwork. As he withdrew his hand from the hole he had made, he wrung his hand, his knuckles sore from the impact.

"Oww..." he winced, then chuckled to himself. "I think I could get used to this." Then he looked down at himself and shook his head. "But it's not like I can go to work like this. I guess it's time to go back to the old me."

For a moment he worried that the change might be permanent, but dismissed the thought. The Logrus had brought out his true form, it could just as easily return him to human.

Once more he focused on the Logrus and mentally commanded him to return him as he had been before the transformation. As the wrenching began again, he felt his wings and tail retract and shrink into his body, his skin color returned to normal and his face became more flat. After a moment or two, Corey Brockyn once again stood in the alleyway. He smiled and he looked at himself and went to pick up his jacket. As he bent down, he noticed his shoes.

They had been completely repaired.

He looked over the rest of his clothes and found his shirt and jeans intact as well.

He puzzled over this for a moment, then smiled. "Nice to know Logrus follows instructions to the letter."

He pulled on his brown leather coat and walked over to the car, continuing his patrol.

Later on, as he pulled in front of the station, he mused on what the Logrus could do. It obviously obeyed his mental commands and was able to create energy constructs such as the energy hands as well as shifting between his human and chaos form.

"I wonder what else it can do," he muttered. "I think it's time for a few experiments."

As he walked into the situation room, Veronica walked by.

"You feeling any better?" she asked.

Corey nodded. "Yeah, things are a bit more under control now." He smiled.

Veronica nodded and returned his smile. "Glad to hear it. What was the problem?"

Corey shrugged nonchalantly. "Just trying to figure out some things."

Veronica nodded. "I gotcha. Seeya later."

Corey smiled. "Later."

Veronica walked away, leaving Corey to his own devices.

Corey returned to his desk and spent the remainder of his shift filling out the apparently endless supplies of paperwork that seemed to accumulate on his desk. After his shift ended, he returned home to test out his new abilities.

Walking out to the vacant lot behind his building, he summoned the Logrus almost without thinking.

(Getting easier and easier.)

"Logrus said that all other forms are for convenience," he mused. "So that means I can probably change to almost any kind of creature. Better start with the tried and true first."

His mind made up, he mentally commanded the Logrus to bring forth his chaos form. This time the process was virtually painless and much more quick. In under thirty seconds, Brooklyn once again roamed the earth. Corey looked down at himself and smiled.

"This bod keeps looking better and better all the time. I could probably win some costume awards with this."

He chuckled and tested out his new body, slashing and punching experimentally a few times to get a feel for it. Then, grinning impishly, lashed out his wings to full extension and struck a fearsome pose, letting loose a battle cry. The animalistic roar which followed surprised him enough to cut it off in mid yell. After regaining his composure, he capped his wings about him and paced quietly for a few moments, contemplating his next form.

Hitting upon one, he screwed up his face in concentration. A moment later, his form shifted into a large brown grizzly bear. He growled pleasantly and changed back into Brooklyn.

The next few hours were spent toying with various ideas for spells. Though he could do quick, simple commands like firing energy bolts and simple energy constructs, more complex spells such as invisibility and levitation were beyond him. Still, by the time his energy level had hit bottom, he felt fairly confident in his abilities.

Smiling tiredly, he made his way to his room and began to bend down to unlace his shoes. His eyes widened when a bare, taloned foot existed where his shoe would have been. Looking at himself in surprise, he realized that he had walked all the way in his chaos form and had not even noticed it. Oops.

Shrugging, he removed his body armor, gauntlets, and utility belt. Not wanting to sleep in the buff, he slipped under the covers wearing his loincloth.

Sighing tiredly, he flattened out his wings so he wouldn't sleep on them and lay back on his pillow. A moment later he was sleeping like a stone.

One month later

Corey stretched his wings as he got into bed. Over the last month, he had been pleasantly surprised to discover that his chaos form, or demon form as he called it, allowed him a far more restful and refreshing sleep then as a human. In addition, his dreams seemed to be sharper and more easily remembered. He dreamt constantly of the Logrus now. In fact, there was hardly a night where it did not manifest itself in his dreams in some manner. In one of his particularly memorable dreams, he had asked the Logrus how he could increase his magical abilities. The Logrus had responded in a more straightforward manner then usual, explaining to him that the knowledge was within him, but buried deep within his subconscious. Thus began a nightly training session of sorcery within his own mind. Each night the symbol of Chaos would gently extract bits of hidden memory from his mind and aid him in strengthening the knowledge. Within training grounds of his own devising, he would test his new magical knowledge by creating spells and "hanging" them on a strand of the Logrus. At first he had balked at this practice, thinking it insulting that he should hang what were in essence magical formulas on so great a power. However, the Logrus had reassured him that this was the way to go about it. Corey, or rather Brooklyn, learned that hanging premade spells ahead of time was the only way to bring them out within a moment. Otherwise, the concentration and creation of a complex spell would take many minutes or even an hour or two for each one. Needless to say, one does not have such luxury of time in a magical duel.

With diligent work, Corey's efforts reaped benefits. Besides learning how to create a more powerful and refined energy bolt, he was now able to make himself invisible, cast a three-dimensional illusion of himself and control its movements, and erect a magical barrier which would repel simple physical and magical attacks.

As he lay in bed, his thoughts switched to what he wanted tonight. Something totally different from what he had been studying.

Memories.

He had guessed, ever since his true form had been revealed to him, that he had lead another life before he had been Corey Brockyn. The flashes of memory in the Logrus chamber had convinced him of that. But he wanted more. He wanted to know everything. And tonight he would get it.

Once more the Logrus floated before him.

(What would you learn tonight, Gebrodkin?)

Corey had not yet gotten used to being a gargoyle, or as the Logrus had put it, a Chaos Lord. Thus he was even more uncomfortable being addressed as "Gebrodkin" rather then "Corey". However, since the Logrus held the power, he tried to put his discomfort out of his mind.

Corey stared up at the Logrus.

"I want my memories."

(You have memories.)

Corey frowned. "Yeah, hazy memories of a childhood I don't really remember. And I think you have something to do with it."

The Logrus pulsed quietly for a moment.

(Explain.)

Corey began to pace in front of the Sign. "All the memories of my 'current' life are all hazy, like a dream. It's like I simply have facts implanted in my head. Events I don't really remember all that well. And from what you told me, I didn't always live here. I wasn't even human. So I say you had a hand in it and I want to know why!"

The Logrus pulsed for a few moments as if debating.

(Your amnesia has not dulled your reason nor your cleverness, I see.)

Corey narrowed his eyes. "Well?"

(All that you have said is the truth.)

Corey sighed and sat down. "So my life up till now has been a lie. What else is made up?"

(Nothing. But when you traveled to this shadow it was necessary to cloud your mind.)

Corey looked up, puzzled. "Shadow?"

The Logrus pulsed. (Yes. This world, this universe, is a mere shadow of Amber and the Courts of Chaos, as are all universes.)

Corey stared. "What are you saying?"

(Amber and the Courts are as two magnets at opposites with each other. The power which emanates from these places creates universes similar to Amber and the Courts like ripples emanating from a rock tossed into a pond. Those of the blood of Amber and the Courts call them "shadows" as they are shadows of the original.)

Corey filed this information away.

"Okay. Fine. Thank you for the quantum physics lesson but what want is my memories back."

(You are presumptuous, little mortal. None has dared address me thus for many millennia.)

Corey smirked. "Yeah? Surprise. I dare and quite willingly."

The Logrus chuckled within his mind. (You amuse me. Very well. I shall grant your request.)

Suddenly, Corey's ears were filled with the sounds of life. Laughter, weeping, roaring, and many other sounds filled his ears as saw his life from its very beginnings in Scotland so long ago. Once again, the laughter of his rookery brothers sounded in his ears as they played in the courtyard of Castle Wyvern. He watched as battles took place before his eyes…he looked on in horror as the Magus raised his hand, chanting the spell which would seal their fate for a millennia to come…he looked over the battlements at a strange world filled with bright lights and noise as his leader swooped down to greet them for the first time after a sleep which lasted a thousand years…Oberon swished his cloak about them and he was sucked into a black, chilling void of nothingness…he placed the amulet around his neck and a surge of power flowed through him, a dark and evil presence grabbing hold of his soul and forcing it down as Kl-Torach took control…all the events that happened after his possession came into horrible focus…the death of Goliath, the destruction of Oberon and the fey, and finally his own apparent death when the island was ripped apart…

As the light from the blast filled his eyes, the movie seemed to slow. Deep within him he felt power flow through him. His vision swam red as the Logrus appeared. (Shift! Find sanctuary! Go!) He watched as a chromatic spray of color enveloped him…the world shifted and molded under him as reality warped under his desperate command…he found himself in an apartment, his apartment, drained, terribly weak, bleeding from his battle wounds…he changed his form in an attempt to heal…blackout…

Corey came back to reality in a flash of recognition. He had remembered that day! Something about working too hard and passing out. Corey frowned slightly as he realized that had been the Logrus's final adjustment to cover up for the blackout.

But something still puzzled him.

"If we are Chaos Lords, then why did we turn to stone? I don't understand."

(My curse. When your ancestors fled the Courts they came to your former realm, seeking a place to hide from me. They were foolish. Because of their rebellion, I would make them defenseless for half a day, everyday. And I stripped them of their knowledge. No longer could they call on me for aid. Powerless, trapped in their chaos forms, they managed as best they could. But now it is time for them to remember who they are. And who they serve.)

Corey nodded. "And you chose me to be the first."

The Logrus whispered into his mind. (Yes. You know your past. Now learn your future.)

He saw himself in his battle armor, gathering all of the gargoyles from his own universe and several others at the gates of the Courts of Chaos…he would be joined by legions of demons and the warriors of Chaos…following his battle cry, they would march on Amber in a war which could only end in victory.

(You are my champion, Gebrodkin. Your takeover of Avalon was only a small skirmish compared to what you will attempt in my name. The legions will follow you and you will destroy the bastion of Order itself. The Pattern will be forever destroyed and Chaos shall reign eternal throughout all universes.)

He sat there for a time, absorbing all he had learned.

Finally, he slowly stood. His eyes, once bright and excited, now bore the grim gaze of a warrior.

He knew who he was, who he had been.

He was no longer Corey Brockyn.

He was Gebrodkin, known by the humans as Brooklyn.

He had been second in command of the now dead Manhattan clan. But now he would be something more.

He would be the one who would sound the siren which would herald the downfall of Amber.

As he gazed at the Logrus, he bowed deeply. "I am yours to command, cosmic Serpent. The Pattern, clothed as the Unicorn, and her princes in Amber who serve her shall fall before us!"

He raised up, his bearing proud, his wings swept back. His eyes blazed with white light.

The Logrus pulsed, pleased.

The call to arms had begun.


End file.
